RI makes it illegal for landlords to require tenants to declaw their cats

It’s now illegal in Rhode Island for a landlord to require a tenant to declaw their cat as a condition of occupancy. The legislation signed into law this week by Gov. Lincoln Chafee also makes it a crime for a landlord to require a tenant to remove the vocal cords of dogs.

The legislation from Senate Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio and Democratic House Rep. Patricia Serpa would still allow landlords to decline to rent to pet owners. Ruggerio, a North Providence Democrat, says landlords shouldn’t be allowed to demand that tenants subject their pets to what he says are cruel procedures. California has a similar law.